Council will eye permit requests

The Goldsboro Planning Commission will consider four requests during its Sept. 24 meeting after public hearings were held on the measures at the Goldsboro City Council meeting Monday.

The commission will consider again a communications tower proposed to be built on the northwest corner of the intersection of East New Hope and Central Heights roads.

In July, the commission recommended the denial of a conditional use permit to allow the tower to be erected because of violations of setback requirements in relation to the size of the tower. Ordinances maintain that towers must be distanced more than 150 percent of the height of the tower away from property lines and residential areas.

Because that request violated both of those requirements, the City Council sided with the commission and denied the permit without prejudice, meaning the six-month waiting period before another request could be filed would be waived. A representative from U.S. Cellular asked that the waiver be granted to allow the company to propose another location on that property, where Jennings Transmission operates.

The new proposal places the 120-foot monopole more than 180 feet away from the property lines and residentially zoned land, avoiding violation of any city ordinances.

Michael Doran, a representative of U.S. Cellular, was the only person to speak during the public hearing. He said the new proposal addressed the concerns the commission and council had expressed with the first proposal.

Connie Parrish, a representative of Variety Wholesale Co., spoke during the public hearing for Drew Wofford's conditional use permit for the west side of North Center Street between Mulberry Street and Walnut Street, presenting letters for the council to consider when looking into approving the permit, which would allow the operation of a nightclub with ABC permits.

The applicant, Iris Weaver, spoke on behalf of a rezoning request for the northeast corner of the East Ash Street and Andrews Avenue intersection. The request seeks to change the zoning from residential to office and institutional.

Applicant Rick Sumner was poised to answer questions about his rezoning request for the north side of East Beech Street between Madison Avenue and Best Street.

The council approved the annexation of 19.65 acres of property on the southwest corner of the Salem Church Road and Buck Swamp Road intersection, which is largely used for farmland and also approved the 2011-12 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report.

The council's consent agenda included the annexation petition for the S. Dillon Wooten Jr. property on the southeast corner of the intersection of Buck Swamp Road and Huntington Drive.

The council also approved by consent the designation of Rebuilding Broken Places as a Community Housing Development Organization which allows it to receive additional funding.

The addition of a health care component to the city's comprehensive plan was also approved along with the acceptance of funds from the Pitt County Health Department to pay for the additional component through a grant.

The council approved the condemnation of six structures in the city allowing staff to continue with the demolition of the dwellings along with monthly departmental reports.